Rule Breakers
by jessicaebirch
Summary: One day the firehouse is attacked, I know what your thinking- ghosts. That wouldn't be so bad, the Ghostbusters can deal with ghosts, of course, they can it's in the job description. It's in their bloody name! But no. That would be too easy, you see the firehouse is under attack by the police. Apparently, the Ghostbusters are doing more harm than good.
1. Chapter 1

"Is someone knocking on the door?" Erin put down the paper she was reading and stood up. The firehouse seemed to have developed a rather loud echo.

"Should we go down?" Erin continued, looking to Abby for support. It was never formally discussed but the other three had always looked up to Abby and she happily took on the role as the mother hen.

"It could be someone who needs our help..." Abby started.

"I vote no, they're banging real loud. Could end up in a tumble." Holtz said through a mouthful of Pringles.

"They could be scared," said Abby defensively. It wasn't like their usual clientele wasn't slightly fearful, why would they come to the busters if they weren't? Come to think of it, people usually call...not knock.

"No way, that ain't a scared knock. That a angry kock." Patty hissed.

"I`m going downstairs," Abby said determinedly.

As it turned out she didn't need too. The alarm buzzed as the doors were flung open. Loud footsteps filled the firehouse.

"Don`t move!" The four stood still in their tracks; they stared at the cluster of bodies that stood before them. Completely clad in black and carrying guns. Abby was the first to hold up her hands, Erin followed. Patty elbowed Holtz and they too held up their hands.

"What's going on?" Abby asked.

"Shut up." Abby closed her mouth and frowned. If her eyes could talk then they would be calling the man who told her to shut it every name under the sun. The supposed leader of the group nodded causing another man stepped forward. He was closest to Holtz, who was caught off guard. The man easily overpowered her small frame; she yelped as he pulled her arms behind her back and began to march her to the door. Holtz uncomfortably twisted her neck to see a tousle behind her. Patty was trying to fight off the black-clad bodies to get to her. She was outnumbered.

"Don't make this harder lady." Patty wasn't listening, Erin was hauled to join Holtz at the door, Abby was yelling at Patty trying to get her to calm down.

"Stop or we will have to make you." Yelled an unknown voice from the sea of black. The man holding Holtz tightened his grip causing her to cry out. Patty stopped, she caught her breath and opened her mouth.

"Leave her alone," she growled.

"Calm down." Patty allowed herself to be dragged over to join the others. She locked eyes with Holtzy, Holtz gave her a small nod.

The four of them were taken outside and forced into a black van. The sea of black parted from their leader, who apparently was the designated driver. Nothing was said the entire journey, Abby studied her college's faces. Erin looked confused, Patty was pissed and Holtz? Holtz looked scared.

The team were dragged out the van and marched into another building; they were then forced into a plain room. Then they were left alone. Holtz ran straight into Patty`s arms and mumbled something inaudible into her arm. Once Abby had made sure everyone was okay, Abby posed the question on everyone's mind.

"What the hell is going on?"


	2. Chapter 2

They waited there in the small plain room. Erin tried to pick the lock, nothing had come of it. Patty had tried breaking the door down, it was reinforced. Holtz had yelled at her to stop when she feared she would break a bone. Abby had pressed her head to the walls and listened.

"I've got nothing."

Suddenly the doors blew open, the sea of black filled in. The four Ghostbusters found themselves being dragged out again. They were marched into a corridor. One of them kicked Patty, she furiously turned round successfully knocking over a couple of bodies. The man who had kicked her laughed and taunted her by leaning into Holtz's face, causing her to writhe in his grip. He pushed his face into hers, Holtz turned her head but she couldn't get away from him. Holtz bit her lip. Erin saw what was happening, she stepped hard on his foot. The man hissed and shoved Holtz into the grasp of another man. He swung a fist and connected it to Erin's face, the man holding her kept her standing up. Holtz whimpered as she heard the crack. Erin screamed. Abby fought against her own restrains, she had three men holding her back.

"Why are you lot so bothered about the runt?" He hissed as he nursed his foot. He turned back to Holtz, he nodded at the man who was now holding her. Holtz was pushed up against the wall.

"She isn't a runt!" Patty was trying to get to Holtz again. Holtz was desperately clawing at the arm holding her there. The man looked back at Patty, he had smirk on his face.

The man turned back to Holtz, he pressed himself up against her, his hand lingered on her chest.

"Maybe she isn't."

"What the hell do you think you're playing at?!" Boomed a voice, the sea parted and pressed up against the wall. Holtz dropped to the floor, Abby was there in a heartbeat. Abby picked Holtz up and pulled her in for a hug.

"Don't make me ask again." Abby looked up and found who the voice belonged too. It was the mayor, he looked really angry.

"I told you to bring them in, I did not tell you to assault them."

Silence.

"Get out." The sea of back left.

"I apologise." The mayor nodded at the four women.

"What the hell is going on?" Abby's repeated question bounced off the walls. She pulled Erin over to her and was looking at the nasty bruise forming on her chin.

"Ladies, please step into my office."


	3. Chapter 3

The four of them huddled into the mayor's office and took a seat in front of his desk. Holtz recalled the last time they were in there, she kept her feet firmly on the ground.

"I apologise for how you were brought in, believe me that wasn't my intention." He looked directly at Holtzmann and nodded, Holtz bit her lip and looked at Abby, who was sitting beside her. Abby held out her hand and squeezed Holtz`s.

"What`s this about?" asked Abby coldly.

"We are aware that we fund you do carry out your unique work, we are grateful..."

"I'm sensing a but here," Patty cut in. The mayor nodded.

"Those higher than me..."

"Higher than you- you're the mayor?!" Erin scoffed.

"Those higher than me feel that you are costing us a little too much, causing too much damage when you bust."

"Oh okay, the next time we go out on a bust we will ask the ghost to remain calm so we can get them in a box with minimal damage," Patty smirked.

"Could yo do that?"

"Dude no."

The mayor turned to back to Abby, assuming he was going to get the most sense out of her.

"They've asked me to cut your funding."

"What?" shouted Abby.

"Just for a couple of weeks."

"You can't do this!"

"We will resistant the money next month, then you can return to your work, but if the damage continues then it will stop permanently."

"Don't you see how stupid this is, the damage is bad yeah but we get rid of ghosts."

"GHOSTS," Patty repeated.

"It`s not exactly a tidy job," finished Abby.

"I'm sorry, I have another meeting now." The mayor stood up and gestured to the door.

"Please go quietly, I really don't want to call those who brought you in." Erin felt Holtz flinch, she grabbed her arm and guided the group out the door. Abby was confused, why were they just leaving? Then she saw Holtz`s face, they left quietly.

Once out in the street, Abby let out a scream.

"This is ridiculous!"

"We can't bust anymore." Holtz piped up. She sounded physically wounded.

"It's just a couple of weeks..." Erin said putting her arms around her. Abby rubbed her back, they all loved busting. Patty loved the thrill of it. Erin and Abby loved it because it was something they had been working towards since their childhood. But Holtz? Holtz loved busting because it made her feel special, it made her feel worth something.

"Then it stops for good by my calculations!" The team looked to Abby in unison.

"We need time to think."

"We've got weeks of that," said Holtz bitterly.


	4. Chapter 4

A week into the month ban and Holtz was beside herself. She just missed the adrenaline of it all, she tried to make modifications to their proton packs but without the field to test them in she didn't know if they would be any less destructive or messy. She hadn't even left the firehouse, she just stayed in her lab making seemingly pointless modifications. Abby tried to talk to the mayor again.

"I told him that if a ghost shows up we will just go ahead and bust it despite what he said," Abby said, they were sitting around the table eating pizza for the third time that week.

"How did he take that then?" Patty asked.

"He said if that happened our money would be cut indefinitely..."

"Abby, if he did cut our money what would happen?" Erin asked, she already knew the answer but she needed to hear it out loud.

"We won't be able to do this anymore...it's not just the money that literally puts food on the table, pays for the equipment. Ect. Ect. But it's the immunity that comes with it, if we didn't have that anymore then we would have to pay for damages and we would probably be arrested for destruction of public property..." Abby sighed. Erin hung her head. She wondered about a world without the Ghostbusters, she would have to find another university to lecturer at- Columbia wouldn't take her back. Abby would have to find somewhere else to work. Patty should be able to go back to the trains and Holtz? Erin worried about Holtz, what would happen to her?

"We need to do something!" Holtz shouted. She slapped her hands off the desk and stood up. Her chair scraped across the floor causing the other three to glare at her.

"Holtzmann," Abby warned.

"No! We are just sitting here eating pizza!"

"Baby," Patty started.

"What have you two done? Eh. At least Abby went to see the mayor...I've been trying to make mods...but you two?" Holtzmann pointed to Erin and Patty.

"Hey," Patty bit back, Erin just stayed quiet. Holtz shook her head and left the room. She went downstairs and outside. It felt slightly odd after being cooped up inside for so long. She found herself at the dump, she always there when she found life a little difficult. She sifted through the metal pile, in her head she was looking for extra items to made modifications but in reality she was looking for anything to make time seem like it wasn't a thing.

Suddenly, the pile she was sitting on top of started to shake. She looked around but couldn't see anything. Suddenly, Holtz was flung from the pile, she landed awkwardly on her back. She groaned and scrambled to her feet. She continued to look around for an attacker. It could have been the guy who owns the yard, he was slightly unhinged. She was starting to get dizzy from all the circling she was doing. Then she saw the ecto plasm on the cuff off her overalls, she took a deep breath- she knew what she was looking for now. It was a ghost.


	5. Chapter 5

There is a reason why there is four Ghostbusters instead of just one. Holtz could barely make one move without being thrown back my the ghost. She managed to crawl under a car door and use it as a shield. Where was Erin when you needed her? She usually took the full slime. Holtz tried to fashion a makeshift proton gun with what she could find using the wielder she always had in her pocket but it was no use. The ghost didn't seem to be letting up either, he managed to knock the shield from her back. Holtz scrambled to her feet and began to run. It was all she could think to do, her feet pounded into the sidewalk. She heard the ghost behind her, on her tail. She stopped looking back and just focused on getting back to the firehouse, getting back to safety in numbers and actual working machinery. Holtz arrived at the firehouse and hauled herself up the stairs. She burst through the doors and crumpled to her knees.

"Ghost..." she managed to choke out whilst pointing outside. Erin, Patty and Abby stared at her. They were still at the table.

"What's going on Holtz?" Abby asked.

"Ghost!" she shouted. She stood up properly and winced. She straightened her back out and crossed the room to look out of the window.

"There was a ghost..." Holtz said slightly dazed. The ghost was gone...it had stopped following her.

"Holtz quit playing," Patty snapped, clearly still annoyed at Holtz outburst.

"Yeah, Holtz this isn't helping," Erin added.

"No! I'm not kidding, there was a ghost. Look I got slimed!" Holtz shouted pointing to the light slime on her cuffs. Erin frowned at how little there was.

"Yeah right," she said loudly. Holtz shot her a look. She shook her head.

"Well what do you think this is!" she said, pointing back to the slime. Erin shook her head.

"You're a scientist Holtz...making green goo isn't exactly going to be hard for you is it?" Erin added coldly.

"You don't believe me," she whispered. Abby stood up and put her arms on Holtz's shoulders.

"I get that you're angry, we all are, that's why we need to pull together. Not break apart. Holtz okay just drop it yeah?" Holtz snatched her arms away and tried to stop herself from crying.

"I saw a ghost," she stammered. Erin and Patty turned away and started to clean up the pizza boxes.

"Come on Holtz, we can look at the tech again...see if we can make anymore changes," Abby tried to coax her over to her desk. Holtzmann stood her ground.

"No. You said that if a ghost showed up we would go ahead and bust it. so that's exactly what I'm going to do." Holtz announced loudly, before grabbing her jumpsuit and proton pack.

"Jillian!" Abby shouted. Holtzmann didn't look back. She stormed back out of the firehouse and went looking for the ghost.


	6. Chapter 6

Holtzmann stepped down the steps and held on tightly to her proton back, at the back of her head she as rather excited to test out the modifications she had made to the gun, she hoped it would make a clean shot and then she could get their money reinstated and everything would be okay. She knew she was being incredibly optimistic but at least she wasn't being overly pessimist much to the point she didn't believe on of her best friends. She was still so angry at them, how dare they think she was making it up. They made her feel small, like how she had felt her entire life before she had found Abby. She could almost forgive Erin and Patty for not believing her- they didn't know her as well. But Abby, Abby knew how much all this meant to her, she would never lie about any of this.

Hotzmann began to walk back to the dump. Her ears were standing up, listening out for the ghost. She walked fast, like a cat sneaking up on its prey. Determination covered her face. She arrived at the dump and scoured the area, sure enough the ghost was there waiting for her. but she was ready for him this time.

"I am going to totally box you this time," Hotlz shouted. The ghost said her and made a beeline. Holtz hit the button on the side of her arm to release the 'ghost box' as it had been aptly named. Holtz looked through the new aim view finder she had fashioned from an old camera, she thought that with better aim came less mess. She aimed for the centre of the ghost and fired.

Now, Holtzmann was very clever but she needed to test things out before her machinery was perfect. Hotlzmann hadn't been able to test this out. The calibration was out, she misfired completely and ended up blowing up and entire pile of garbage. The new boosters she had added to make the proton stream stronger caused the explosion to shoot up fifty feet above her head. The discarded car part, Chinese takeout boxes and odd socks began to shower over New York.

"Shit..." Holtz whispered. Holtzmann began to scour for the ghost- hoping she would be able to use her untampered with side arms to get it but she couldn't see through the midst of rubbish she had created.

Suddenly Holtz heard footsteps around her, she could just make out the sea of black that had arrived at the firehouse that fatal day. Holtzmann knew she was beaten. She put away her sidearms and held on tight to her useless proton gun.

"Put the gun down and you won't get hurt," said a lone voice. Holtz recognised it as the man who had taken her originally, the one who had tried to feel her up.

"It doesn't even work anymore," she yelled back. The second she said it she knew it was a mistake. She was pushed down to the ground. Her face rubbing on the tarmac below. She yelled at him to stop, she was disarmed. He then crunched his boot into the small of her back. She couldn't move, she just lay there and whimpered.

"What even is this?" One of them said as he fiddled with the proton gun, it was then Holtz realised she had forgot to turn on the safety guard and it was still a prototype...she hadn't put in the technicality that only makes it harmful to ghosts yet.

"Wait-" she started, but it was too late. A proton stream flooded out of the gun and hit a fellow black clad man. He crumbled to the floor and began to shake uncontrollably.

"What have you done you bitch!" someone yelled her in the face before punching her square in the nose. Blood began to pool as another fist came down on her, soon she couldn't tell if it was her screams or the man who had just been hit by a proton streams. After the attack had subsided she was yanked to her feet and put over someone's shoulder. She couldn't even struggle, she was too weak. She saw herself being carried too an unmarked black van- but she couldn't save herself. Tears began to fall down her face as they flung her in the back and locked the door.


	7. Chapter 7

"Holtzmann didn't come back?" Abby said. The three of them were standing at the entrance to the firehouse, a usually quiet firehouse. Holtz hadn't left all week and when the other three had shown up to the firehouse they could hear her banging away upstairs working on the equipment. Not today.

"I checked her apartment, she wasn't there either Abby stated." Abby looked worried whilst the other two just looked guilty. Erin held onto her own elbows and shivered even though it wasn't cold.

"You don't think she was telling the truth?" Abby asked worriedly. Patty shook her head.

"Nah, she was deffo having us on man, a ghost doesn't just quit chasing you..." Erin shook her head.

"But what if she wasn't...if she faced a ghost by herself she could be hurt," Erin blurted out.

 **...**

Erin, Patty and Abby waited for Holtz for a couple of hours, but of course she never showed up. Erin took to pacing by the window.

"I shouldn't...I shouldn't..." then she broke down. Abby was there in a heartbeat, she held the taller woman as she pressed her face down on her shoulder.

"We all were hard on her, it's okay Erin," Abby whispered as she rubbed her back. Suddenly the glass in the window was in the window no more. It rained down on Abby and Erin. Patty jumped up and braced herself. She joined the other two.

"What the hell- oh hell no," that's when Patty saw the ghost. It has bounced off the firehouse window and was continuing to attack a random citizen who was out on ground level.

"Suit up quickly," Abby shouted. The three of them jumped into their suits and grabbed their proton packs. They ran outside and quickly surrounded the ghost they took aim and misfired completely. The ghost was smaller than normal but just as quick.

"Holtzy!" Patty screamed at nothing. Erin's gun had a muffler on it but it was in reverse so the loud noise made her flinch to the extent she was aiming half a mile away. Abby's gun had a vacuum on it that was supposed to suck up gunk but it fired to early and pulled Abby forward so her aim was to the ground. Patty's viewfinder like Holtz's was totally out.

"Oh my gosh, these mods make it impossible to aim," Erin screamed. The random citizen was now curled up on the street, cowering under the ghost. They tried again and again but just managed to explode windows and street lamps. The ghost took one final stab at the citizen who yelled as gunk rained down on her and then flew off.

"What the hell was that thing?" Patty shouted as Erin helped the woman up off the floor.

"That was Holtzmann not lying."


	8. Chapter 8

Erin, Patty and Abby hauled into the ecto and sped through New York.

"I can't believe I didn't believe her!" cursed Abby as she abruptly turned a corner.

"We all didn't," added Patty as if that made it better. The ghost and Holtz were nowhere to be seen.

"Try the dump," Erin shouted. Abby put the car in reverse and backed onto the main road. She sped to the dump. Abby wound the window down, a drunk was standing on the side of the road.

"Have you seen a rather short woman? Wearing a suit like mine with a gun...thing?"

"Oh yeah..." he slurred, Abby was about to totally discount what he was saying until...

"Some guys all clad in back put her in a van- messed her up canny bad," he rocked on his heels and turned away.

"Oh god," Erin whispered. Abby was already putting the ecto back in drive.

...

Holtzmann was in a small room by herself. She had been cuffed to the chair. Her head was throbbing from being tossed into the van was such gust. She hated those men and wanted nothing more than to step on their heads really hard in her black boots so their brains came out of their eyes. The mayor came though after a while, he looked taken back when he saw her appearance. By now her left eye was almost swelling shut, the blood she had shed had dried in claggy patches.

"Gosh that ghost did a number on you didn't he..." he started as he sat down across the table from Holtzmann.

"This was no ghost, this was your bleeding men!" Holtz shouted.

"Hey, they're not my men...they work for those above me." Holtz rolled her one good eye and glared at him.

"You know what this means..." he started. Holtz stood up but couldn't get very far.

"You can't stop the money! We wouldn't be able to keep New York safe! It's not fair on us and it isn't fair on the people..."

"Fair on the ghosts though right?" he chuckled.

"This isn't time for jokes," Holtz warned.

 **...**

Patty, Erin and Abby jumped out of the ecto and ran into the building. The sea of black was waiting in the foyer. Patty frowned and cleared a path with ease. The sea of black parted as a sea would as bodies were flung to the floor.

"Holtzmann!" Patty bellowed. She kicked each door open.

"Holtzmann," they were at the last door. She kicked it in and sighed.

"Thank god."

"Oh my god," Erin rushed to Holtz's side and checked her over.

"You're really hurt," she whispered.

"Nah, just flesh wounds," she hissed through gritted teeth. The grit was half anger and half just sheer pain. The mayor looked at Abby.

"All four of you can leave but you understand we can't provide the money and all the extras that came with it now." Abby was about to argue but she looked at Holtz and knew she just needed to get her out of there.

"Fine," Abby pushed past him and put her arm under Holtz back to pull her up into a standing position. Her arm stayed secured to the seat. Patty glared at the mayor, he went outside and fetched the key.

"I'm sorry," he called after them as they left the building. Abby got Holtz in the back of the ecto and Patty slid in beside her. Abby drove them back to the firehouse.

"Oh no!" Erin yelled as she looked out of the window.

"The ghost...he picks his moments!" Abby pulled the car over and hoped out. She aimed slightly away from the ghost but still missed. Erin and Patty joined, both had the same problem. Holtz stayed in the car, she forced herself forward and ignored her headache. She pulled out her emergency tools she kept in the floor of the vehicle. She began to strip her proton back down to its basic form- repairing its aim. She pushed her top half out of the window.

"Abby!" Holtz chucked her proton pack at her. Abby ran over and gave her the one off her back. Holtz got to work repairing Abby's, she traded it for Erin's and traded Erin's for Patty's. Once all the proton packs were back in working order she jumped out and aimed at the ghost.

"Holtz we got this get back in the car!" Holtz was having none of it- this ghost had pissed her off. She ran and jumped off a parked car, she effectively tackled the ghost to the ground and shouted for the ghost box to be opened. Erin kicked it open and seconds later it was quiet.

"Good job everyone!" Abby called. Holtz then realised she was running off adrenaline alone, she slumped to the ground. Patty caught her before she hit her head.

"I got you baby."


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning Holtz woke up feeling slightly better. The other three of them had spent the night in the firehouse, half of the reason was doing so was to be supportive for Holtz but the other half was because they didn't know what the future held and they wanted to spend at least one last night together. Abby had started to clear out their stuff into boxes, the whole thing was extremely sad.

"So what does happen now?" they were sitting in the firehouse eating pizza because what else would they be doing.

"I rang my old boss...I can start back tomorrow," Patty announced. The other three nodded.

"That's good Patty..." Abby said but her heart really wasn't in it.

"Okay I'm off to make some calls," Erin said. She pushed away from the table and went into another room. Abby sighed.

"Yeah...I probably will be doing the same..."

"You okay Holtzy?" Patty asked. Holtz shook her head.

"Yep...Holtz you do know we're sorry for not believing you don't you?" Holtz grinned.

"Of course I do."


	10. Chapter 10

"Okay working back at the metro is hella dull after what we did..." The former Ghostbusters were sitting in Erin's flat- they had been kicked out of the firehouse. Patty had been working, Holtz had got a job in a bar and Abby and Erin were still frantically calling universities to find work.

"This is just so crap man!" Patty yelled. The other three nodded. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Erin looked slightly flustered.

"No one ever comes over..." Erin looked worried.

"Phil?"

"Nah he hasn't spoken to me in months..."

"I'll go," Patty announced and went to the door. Patty opened the door and frowned.

"Can I help you?"

"You're the Ghostbusters?" the woman asked.

"Not anymore," Patty sighed. She was about to shut the door when the woman stuck out her foot.

"Please just let me come in for like five minutes...please." Patty sighed and stepped aside. The woman walked through to the sitting room. The other three looked to Patty in confusion. Patty shrugged.

"Hi my name is Lucy...you saved me the other day...um from a ghost." Abby jumped up.

"Oh my gosh yes, are you okay, sorry we were a bit useless."

"Yeah that was my doing," Holtz stood up and offered her a hand to shake.

"Holtzmann, I was previously engaged." The woman nodded and shook her hand.

"I know what happened with your funding. I'm sorry." The Ghostbusters nodded.

"I'm here to reinstate it..."

"Wait...what, for real!" Patty shouted.

"I'm willing to privately fund you, to say thank you for saving my life," Lucy whispered. She held a cheque book tightly in her hand.

"No way..." Erin said breathlessly. Holtzmann grinned widely and jumped up and down on the spot.

"Oh hell yes! Were back in business baby!"


End file.
